Fireproofing of textile materials



Sept. 16, 1958 J. n. BRoA'rcH 2,852,414

FIREPRooFING oF TEXTILE ,MATERIALS Filed June 20. 1955 BY www] QW* M W ATTORNEYS.

padding, or by means of doctor blades.

United States Patent() FIREPROOFIN G F TEXTILE MATERIALS John l )onald Broatch, Dundee, Scotland, assignor to The British Jute Trade Research Association, Dundee, Great Britain, a British company Application `Tune 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,787 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 1, 1954 19 Claims. (Cl. 117-137) This invention relates to the ireproofing of textile materials, in the form, for example, of Heeces, fabrics, yarns or fibres, in order to render them reproof with a high degree of resistance to leaching. The invention is more especially concerned with textile materials made from or including a proportion of naturally occurring cellulosic tibres or regenerated bres of cellulosic origin.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved fireprooting treatment which is reasonably simply carried out, which will be lasting in its effects, and which will provide a material resistant to flaming and which will not smoulder.

Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawing of a fragmentary cross-sectional (elevation) view of a piece of textile material which has been treated in accordance with the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention we provide a process for tireprooing textile materials characterised by the step of treating the material with antimony phosphate and a chlorine-containing vinyl thermo-plastic resin.

Preferably the resin is one which has been internally modified, for example, by co-polymerisation in order to avoid the necessity for final high temperature treatment. Alternatively a plasticiser may be added, for example, tricresyl phosphate, in which case a final high temperature curing at a temperature of the order of 150 C. is necessary in order to fuse the plasticiser and the resin. If desired, inert fillers such as china clay can also be included.

The invention further comprises textile materials when ireproofed by the methods herein set forth.

It has been found that this treatment provides a very high degree of tire resistance; the combination of chlorine and antimony inhibits flaming, and the phosphatic content inhibits the glow or smouldering after flaming.

Furthermore this resistance to flaming and smouldering is retained after outdoor weathering for periods in excess of three months or after immersion in sea water for at least one month.

We have found it an advantage to use at least 50% of resin in the treatment, but the amount of antimony phosphate can be varied between 5% and about 18% according to the standard of performance required.

Both leached and unleached samples give satisfactory performance when examined by any of the testing methods in current use. It is also possible by applying fairly simple mechanical processes to produce a wide range of finishes on a given type of cloth which vary continuously from a cloth with soft handle to stiff board-like material. Calendering can also be carried out to give a range of surface finishes. The chemicals can be applied to the cloth by various means, for example, impregnation, The following examples are now described:

ICC

Example I Woven jute fabric is padded through a bath consisting of:

Percent by weight Internally modified chlorine-containing vinyl resin dispersion (55% solids) 76 Antimony phosphate 12` suspending agent such as sodium carboxy methyl cellulose (medium viscosity) 2% aqueous solution 4 Water 8 follow-ing by pressing between rollers in order to squeeze out excess liquor leaving 150% increase in weight of the cloth in the wet state. This treatment gives a very high degree of resistance to aming and to smouldering. l

Example Il www i Where a lesser degree of protection is required, the cloth may be padded through the same mixture as described in Example I, but the increase in weight of the cloth in the wet state can be reduced below 150% but to a figure not less than Example III Woven jute fabric is padded through a bath consisting of:

Percent by weight Internally modified chlorine-containing vinyl resin dispersion (55% solids) 8O Antimony phosphate 12 Suspending agent such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (2% aqueous solution) followed by pressing between rollers `so as to squeeze out excess liquor, the material then being dried, preferably,

through a hot air drier. It is not necessary to employ high temperatures and the performance of the material even if dried at room temperature is satisfactory.

Example IV Woven jute fabric is padded through a `bath consisting of:

Internally modified chlorine-containing vinyl resin dispersion (55% solids) 60 Antimony phosphate 12 Filler, e. g. China clay 6 Suspending agent such as sodium carboxy methyl cellulose (medium viscosity) 2% aqueous solution 4 Water 18 A woven jute fabric is passed through a bath consisting of:

Percent by weight Polyvinyl chloride dispersion (55% solids) 66 Tricresyl phosphate (65% emulsion in water) 17 Antimony phosphate 10 Suspending agent such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (2% aqueous solution) 7 pressed between rollers so as to squeeze off excess solution, and dried, preferably by passage through a hot-air drier. When dry the material is given a further high temperature treatment in the range 13G-150 C. for a short period of time.

Percent by weight An example of a suitable chlorine containing vinyl thermo-plastic resin as herein referred to is Latex 652 marketed by British Geon Ltd.

I claim:

l. A process for ireproong textile materials characterised by the step of treating the material in a bath comprising by weight from to 18% antimony phosphate and from 50 to 76% of a dispersion of a chlorine-containing vinyl thermo-plastic resin containing about 55% solids, said treated textile materials having an increase in weight in the wet state of from 130% to about 150%.

2. A process according to claim 1, in which the vinyl thermo-plastic resin has been internally modified by co-polymerization to avoid the necessity for nal high temperature treatment.

3. A process according to claim 2, in which sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is included to act as a suspending agent.

4. A process according to claim 1, in which a plasticiser is added, the mixture being subjected to a nal high temperature curing treatment of the order of 150 C. whereby the plasticiser becomes fused into the resin.

5. A process according to claim 4, in which the plasticiser is tricresyl phosphate.

6. A prs'sic'c'rdigb claim 5, in which said bath includes inorganic inert llers.

7. A process for ameproong and glowproong a woven jute fabric comprising padding the fabric through a bath consisting in weight ratios of 76% internally modied chlorine-containing vinyl resin dispersion containing 55% solids, 12% antimony phosphate, 4% of a 2% aqueous solution of a suspending agent of medium viscosity, and 8% water, and pressing the fabric between rollers to squeeze out excess liquor to leave an increase in weight of the fabric in the wet state of from 130% to about 150%.

8. A process according to claim 7, in which said suspending agent is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

9. A process for flameproong and glowproong a woven jute fabric comprising padding the fabric through a bath consisting in weight ratios of 80% internally modiied chlorine-containing vinyl resin dispersion containing 55% solids, 12% antimony phosphate, and 8% of 2% aqueous solution of a suspending agent, pressing the fabric between rollers to squeeze out excess liquor, and drying the fabric.

l0. A process according to claim 9, in which said suspending agent is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

1l. A process according to claim 10, in which the fabric is dried at room temperature.

12. A process according to claim 10 in which the fabric is dried by hot air.

13. A process of ameproong and glowproong a Woven jute fabric comprising padding the fabric through a bath consisting in weight ratios of internally modied chlorine-containing vinyl resin dispersion containing 55% solids, 12% antimony phosphate, 6% of a ller, 4% of a 2% aqueous solution of a suspending agent of medium viscosity, and 18% water, and squeezing excess liquor from the fabric to leave a minimum increase in weight of the fabric in the wet state of 150%.

14. A process according to claim 13, in which said iiller is china clay.

15. A process according to claim 14, in which said suspending agent is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

16. A process of ilameproong and glowproofing a woven jute fabric comprising passing the fabric through a bath consisting in weight ratios of 66% of polyvinyl chloride dispersion containing 55% solids, 17% of a 65% emulsion in water of tricresyl phosphate, 10% antimony phosphate, and 7% of a 2% aqueous solution of a suspending agent, pressing the fabric between rollers to squeeze of excess liquor, drying the fabric, and subjecting the dried fabric to a final high temperature curing treatment in the range of about C. to about C.

17. A process as claimed in claim 16, in which said suspending agent is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

18. A textile material impregnated with antimony phosphate and a chlorine-containing vinyl thermoplastic resin.

19. A textile material according to claim 18, in which said resin is internally modified.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,885,870 Snyder Nov. 1, 1932 2,519,348 Burnell et al. Aug. 22, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 548,220 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1950 502,138 Canada May 4, 1954 

1. A PROCESS FOR FIREPROOFING TEXTILE MATERIALS CHARACTERISED BY THE STEP OF TREATING THE MATERIAL IN A BATH COMPRISING BY WEIGHT FROM 5 TO 18% ANTIMONY PHOSPHATE AND FROM 50 TO 76% OF A DISPERSION OF A CHLORINE-CONTAINING VINYL THERMO-PLASTIC RESIN CONTAINING ABOUT 55% SOLIDS, SAID TREATED TEXTILE MATERIALS HAVING AN INCREASE IN WEIGHT IN THE WET STATE OF FROM 130% TO ABOUT 150%. 